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The Thompson’s caecilian is the largest caecilian species known and far exceeds others in length and weight. They hail from Colombia. These caecilians prefer subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, plantations, rural gardens, and heavily degraded former forests. Thompson’s caecilians face the threats of […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The long-eared hedgehog is considered to be the smallest species of hedgehog. They hail from Central Asia, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa. These critters face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial development, habitat division at the hands of roads and railroads—that […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The pickerel frog is a curious looking frog with a pattern of seemingly “hand-drawn” squares on its back. These frogs can be found in southeastern Canada and throughout the eastern half of the United States. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The common diving petrel, aka smaller diving petrel or the diving petrel, is an auk-like small petrel that dwells among the southern oceans. These birds face the threat of invasive species in the form of black rats, that are known to kill and eat their chicks. However, these seabird’s numbers […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The snow crab, aka queen crab or spider crab, dwells as far north as the Arctic Ocean and as far south as California. These crustaceans face the threats of overfishing and over harvesting, climate change, that causes warming ocean temperatures, a faster metabolism, and lack of available food. The parasitic […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The eastern yellowjacket, aka eastern yellow jacket, are considered a pest species due to their nesting in populated areas such as buildings. They face the threats of invasive species, at the hands of the German yellowjacket; predation, by raccoons, skunks, badgers, and bears, pesticide use as a means to kill […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Eurasian harvest mouse, aka harvest mouse, hails from Europe and Asia. They are the smallest known mouse in Europe. These rodents face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, and ranching. Pesticides and herbicides that kill their food source of […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Chinese softshell turtle hails from mainland China (Inner Mongolia to Guangxi, including Hong Kong) and Taiwan, with reports of escaped individuals who have established introduced populations in a variety of other Asian countries, as well as in Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, mainland United States, and more. In their native China […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The iridescent shark, aka iridescent shark catfish, despite its primary common name, is not an actual shark, but a species of catfish. They dwell in the Mekong basin as well as the Chao Phraya River in southeastern Asia, and are heavily cultivated for food in that region. These fish face […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Fiordland penguin, aka Fiordland crested penguin, tawaki, pokotiwha, or New Zealand crested penguin, hails from New Zealand. They are also sometimes found in southern Australia. They are threatened by invasive species, in the form of stoats, habitat division, at the hands of roads and railroads, that can divide their […]

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